ROTOR, METHOD FOR PRODUCING A ROTOR AND AXIAL FLUX MACHINE

Abstract

A rotor for an electrical axial flux machine that can be operated as a motor and/or generator includes a support, a plurality of magnet elements arranged against, on, or in the support and running radially from the interior outward. The magnet elements are magnetized in a circumferential direction and arranged individually or in groups in series around the circumference with alternating opposing magnetization directions. A plurality of flux conduction elements which conduct the magnetic flux are arranged against, on, or in the support and around the circumference, between the magnet elements. At least one conduction element arranged between two magnet elements is formed by a plurality of individual flux conduction elements, the individual flux conduction elements being formed such that they conduct the magnetic flux tangentially in a circumferential direction and block the flux in a radial direction

Claims

1. A rotor for an electric axial flux machine operable as a motor or as a generator, the rotor comprising: a support, a plurality of magnet elements arranged against, on or in the support and extending radially from an inside outwards, wherein the magnet elements are magnetized in a circumferential direction and are arranged individually or in groups in series around a circumference with alternating opposing magnetization directions, and a plurality of magnetic flux conducting flux conduction elements which are arranged against, on or in the support and which are circumferentially arranged between the magnet elements, wherein: at least one flux conduction element arranged circumferentially between two magnet elements is formed by a plurality of individual flux conduction elements, wherein the individual flux conduction elements are designed in such a way that they conduct a magnetic flux tangentially in the circumferential direction and substantially block same in a radial direction

2. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein: a magnet element arranged circumferentially between two flux conduction elements is designed to become larger radially outwards in a body volume thereof in that an axial and/or circumferential tangential thickness thereof increases from the inside outwards.

3. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein: a magnet element arranged circumferentially between two flux conduction elements has a multi-part design and is formed from a plurality of individual magnet elements of different axial thicknesses.

4. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein: the flux conduction elements are in a form of laminated sheets.

5. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein: the flux conduction elements are designed in such a way that they have an axial thickness that is greater than or equal to the axial thickness of circumferentially adjacent magnet elements.

6. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein: the support has a three-dimensional contour on a base-side support disk thereof, which is designed in adaptation to an axial thickness of the magnet elements and/or of the flux conduction elements in such a way that the magnet elements and the flux conduction elements or the flux conduction elements alone form an air gap with an unchanged axial spacing over an entire radial extension on a side thereof facing a stator.

7. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein: the support is flat on a base side of a support disk thereof in such a way that the magnet elements, which vary in an axial thickness thereof in the radial direction, can form an air gap with a changed axial spacing over an entire radial extension on a side thereof facing a stator.

8. The rotor according to claim 1, wherein: the support has an outer support ring extending in the axial direction and an inner support ring extending in the axial direction, wherein the outer support ring has a polygonal cross-sectional shape on a radial inner annular surface thereof and/or the inner support ring has a polygonal cross-sectional shape on a radial ring outer surface thereof.

9. A method for producing a rotor, comprising: providing a support, providing magnet elements and introducing the magnet elements against, on, or in the support, and introducing a flux conduction element into a receiving space formed between two magnet elements, wherein the flux conduction element arranged between two magnet elements is formed by a plurality of individual flux conduction elements and wherein the individual flux conduction elements are designed in such a way that they tangentially conduct a magnetic flux in a circumferential direction and block same in a radial direction, wherein the individual flux conduction elements are formed by a plurality of laminated electrical steel sheets and these are arranged to extend a longitudinal extension thereof in the circumferential direction.

10. An axial flux machine, comprising: a stator; and a rotor comprising: a support having a support disk on a bottom side; and a plurality of magnet elements arranged against on or in the support and extending radially from an inside outwards, wherein the support is flat on a base side of the support disk in such a way that the magnet elements, which vary in an axial thickness thereof in a radial direction, form an air gap with a changed axial spacing over an entire radial extension on a side thereof facing the stator.

11. The axial flux machine according to claim 10, further comprising: a plurality of magnetic flux conducting flux conduction elements arranged against, on or in the support and circumferentially arranged between the magnet elements.

12. The axial flux machine according to claim 11, wherein a magnet element arranged circumferentially between two flux conduction elements has a multi-part design and is formed from a plurality of individual magnet elements of different axial thicknesses.

13. A rotor for an electric axial flux machine, the rotor comprising: a support having a support disk on a bottom side; a plurality of magnet elements arranged against, on or in the support and extending radially from an inside outwards, wherein the support is flat on a base side of the support disk in such a way that the magnet elements, which vary in an axial thickness thereof in a radial direction, form an air gap with a changed axial spacing over an entire radial extension on a side thereof facing a stator; and a plurality of magnetic flux conducting flux conduction elements arranged against, on or in the support and circumferentially arranged between the magnet elements.

14. The rotor according to claim 13, wherein a magnet element arranged circumferentially between two flux conduction elements has a multi-part design and is formed from a plurality of individual magnet elements of different axial thicknesses.

15. The rotor according to claim 13, wherein at least one flux conduction element arranged circumferentially between two magnet elements is formed by a plurality of individual flux conduction elements, wherein the individual flux conduction elements are designed in such a way that they conduct a magnetic flux tangentially in the circumferential direction and substantially block same in a radial direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The disclosure will be explained in more detail below with reference to figures without limiting the general concept of the disclosure.

[0031] In the figures:

[0032] FIG. 1 shows an axial flux machine according to the prior art in a perspective view in a schematic representation, with a rotor arranged between two stators,

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a further axial flux machine according to the prior art in a perspective view in a schematic representation, in an H arrangement,

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a rotor according to the disclosure in a first possible embodiment in three different views, on the top in an axial section through the axis of rotation in the area of the flux conduction elements, in the middle in a first perspective view, and in the bottom view in a second perspective view wherein parts of the support are not equipped with magnet elements and flux conduction elements, each in a schematic representation,

[0035] FIG. 4 shows the rotor according to FIG. 2, in the illustration on the left in a perspective view with a partial axial section and in the illustration on the right in an axial section through the axis of rotation in the area of the magnet elements,

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a rotor according to the disclosure in a second possible embodiment in three different views, above in an axial section through the axis of rotation in the area of the flux conduction elements, in the middle in a first perspective view, and in the bottom view in a second perspective view wherein parts of the support are not equipped with magnet elements and flux conduction elements, each in a schematic representation, and

[0037] FIG. 6 shows the rotor according to FIG. 5, in the top illustration in a perspective view with a partial axial section and in the bottom illustration in an axial section of the axis of rotation in the region of the magnet elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 1 shows an axial flux machine according to the prior art in a perspective view in a schematic representation, with a rotor 1 arranged between two stators 6 in the basic structure thereof. The axial flux machine 2 comprises a rotor 1, which is shown here schematically without the support parts thereof but with magnet elements 4 and flux conduction elements 5 that follow one another in alternation around the circumference. In the top illustration, a first stator 6 is shown in a plan view from the inside, so that the individual stator coils of the stator 6 can be clearly seen. In each case, two adjacent stator coils are advantageously connected together, wherein three stator coil packs each driven offset by 120 angular degrees result over a total of six adjacent stator coils. If the first stator 6, in the top illustration, were folded down by 180 degrees and kept axially spaced apart from the rotor 1 while forming a first air gap 7, the uniform, compact axial flux machine would result in the “assembled” state. The bottom illustration shows a plan view of the remaining stator-rotor packet, wherein the second stator 6 is arranged below the rotor 1, axially spaced apart by a second air gap 13.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a further axial flux machine 2 according to the prior art in a perspective view in a schematic representation, in an H arrangement. In this case, a rotor 1 is arranged axially on both sides of a centrally arranged stator 6 with stator coils, each spaced apart by an air gap 7.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a rotor 1 according to the disclosure in a first possible embodiment in three different views. In the top view, the rotor 1 is shown in an axial section through the axis of rotation in the area of the flux conduction elements 5. In the middle view, the rotor 1 is shown in a first perspective view, and in the bottom view in a second perspective view, wherein parts of the support 3 are not equipped with magnet elements 4 and flux conduction elements 5 in the bottom view. The rotor 1 comprises a support 3 designed in the manner of an annular disk, a plurality of magnet elements 4 arranged in the support 3 and extending radially inside the support 3 from the inside to the outside. The support 3 has an inner ring, via which the rotor can be connected to a shaft in a rotationally fixed manner, and has an outer ring, which delimits the rotor outwards in the radial direction. The support 3 is formed between the inner ring and the outer ring with a base part, via which the inner ring and the outer ring are connected to one another and which, together with the radial outer ring surface of the inner ring and the radial inner ring surface of the outer ring, forms a receiving space open in the direction of the air gap for receiving the magnet elements 4 and the flux conduction elements 5 of the rotor 1.

[0041] The magnet elements 4 are magnetized in the circumferential direction in the direction of the arrows drawn in the magnet elements 4, and shown individually in the exemplary embodiment, each radial row for itself, are arranged in a circumferential direction with alternating opposing magnetization directions. Furthermore, a plurality of flux conduction elements 5, which are arranged circumferentially between the magnet elements 4 and conduct the magnetic flux, are arranged in the support 3, wherein each flux conduction element 5 is formed by a plurality of individual flux conduction elements 50. The individual flux conduction elements 50 of a flux conduction element 5 arranged between two magnet elements 4 are designed as individual electrical steel sheets with different dimensions. The individual sheets are stacked one behind the other in the radial direction to form a block.

[0042] A magnet element 4 arranged circumferentially between two flux conduction elements 5 is designed to become larger in the body volume thereof radially outwards, in that the axial and/or circumferential/tangential thickness thereof increases from the inside outwards. The figure also clearly shows that a magnet element 4 has a multi-part design and is formed from a plurality of individual magnet elements 40 of different axial thicknesses.

[0043] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3, the depth dimension (in the axial direction) of both the flux conduction elements 5 or the individual flux conduction elements 50 and the magnet elements 4 or the individual magnet elements 40 was varied depending on the height in the radial direction. A stair shape is thus formed, seen in cross-section, wherein the stair descends radially outwards from the inside. This is shown for the flux conduction elements 5 in the upper axial section illustration. The middle view shows the direction of lamination of the flux conduction elements 5, as well as the arrangement and direction of magnetization of the magnet elements 4. Individual magnet elements 4 and flux conduction elements 5 are hidden in the lower view, so that the adapted shape of the support 3 can also be seen. This approximates a dodecagon on the inner radius delimiting the receiving space for the magnet elements 4 and the flux conduction elements 5 in the radial direction, as well as on the outer radius, so that the inner radius is adapted to the profile of the contours of the magnet elements 4 and flux conduction elements 5. The rear wall or the bottom part of the support 3 is also adapted to the depth dimension of the magnet elements 4 and the flux conduction elements 5. The figure also shows that the flux conduction elements 5 are designed in such a way that they have an axial thickness that is essentially the same as the axial thickness of the circumferentially adjacent individual magnet elements 40 of a magnet element 4, so that towards the air gap a uniform uninterrupted surface is formed with the same air gap dimension through the magnet elements 4 and the flux conduction elements 5.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows the rotor 1 according to FIG. 3, in the illustration on the left in a perspective view with a partial axial section, and in the illustration on the right in an axial section through the axis of rotation in the area of the magnet elements 4. The gradation of the depth dimension of the magnet elements 4 or the different axial thickness of the individual magnet elements 40 as a function of the radial height can be clearly seen in the illustration on the right.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a rotor 1 according to the disclosure in a second possible embodiment in three different views. In the view above, the rotor 1 is shown in an axial section through the axis of rotation, in the area of the flux conduction elements 5. The middle view shows the rotor 1 in a first perspective view, and the bottom view shows a second perspective view, wherein parts of the support 3 are not equipped with magnet elements 4 and flux conduction elements 5 in the bottom view. In this embodiment, the base of the support 3 is flat on the support disk thereof, such that the magnet elements 4, which vary in the axial thickness thereof in the radial direction, can form an air gap 7 with a changed axial spacing over the entire radial extension on the side thereof facing a stator 6. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the variation in the depth of the magnet elements 4 in the axial direction is not arranged on the rear side of the rotor 1 but on the side facing the air gap 7. For the rest, those statements that have already been made for the first exemplary embodiment apply to the individual components of the second exemplary embodiment.

[0046] The disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown in the figures. The above description is therefore not to be regarded as limiting, but rather as explanatory. The following claims are to be understood as meaning that a named feature is present in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. This does not exclude the presence of further features. If the patent claims and the above description define “first” and “second” features, this designation serves to distinguish between two features of the same type without defining an order of precedence.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0047] 1 Rotor

[0048] 2 Axial flux machine

[0049] 3 Support

[0050] 4 Magnet element

[0051] 5 Flux conduction element

[0052] 6 Stator

[0053] 7 Air gap

[0054] 30 Support outer ring

[0055] 31 Support inner ring

[0056] 40 Single magnet element

[0057] 50 Individual flux conduction element